Suspenseful British thriller with Kara Tointon that’s “an easy binge” lands new UK home at Netflix

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The popular Channel 5 thriller, which viewers have called an “easy watch,” is heading to Netflix. Originally released in the UK last year as Too Good to Be True, the four-episode series will be available on December 21st. It features actors known from shows like Mr Selfridge, Archie, and EastEnders, including Kara Tointon.

The show follows Rachel, a single mother struggling financially, who works tirelessly as a cleaner to support her son.

She was unexpectedly offered a new job by a rich businessman – it promised better pay and a better work-life balance. But once she took the job, she found herself increasingly involved in his personal life and started to wonder what he really wanted.

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Allen Leech, known for his role in Downton Abbey, joins the cast as Elliot, a mysterious man who presents Rachel with a seemingly perfect job opportunity. The ensemble also includes Charlie Hodson-Prior (Dune: Prophecy), Sara Powell (Silent Witness, Unforgotten), Taj Atwal (Line of Duty, The Syndicate), and John Thomson (Cold Feet).

I read that David Tointon described Elliot as basically a modern-day Prince Charming! He said Elliot seems really genuine and kind, and that he’s a good person at heart, which is awesome.

At first glance, everything appears normal, but a closer look reveals significant problems.

After the show premiered in 2024, people shared a range of opinions about it on IMDb.

One viewer called the show a “good, reliable drama,” acknowledging it wasn’t groundbreaking but praising it as enjoyable television. They highlighted the strong acting, effective suspense, and appreciated that it avoided being preachy or overly focused on current social issues. They recommend giving it a watch, especially since its four episodes make for an easy and quick binge.

Okay, so another player checked out the story and said it wasn’t totally original – it felt like it borrowed stuff from other games. But they also said it threw in enough surprises to keep things engaging, so it wasn’t a total rehash.

One viewer said they’d seen some really harsh reviews of the show, but even though they didn’t love it, they still found it enjoyable enough to watch.

I initially found the first couple of episodes rather ordinary, slow-paced, and easy to guess what would happen. Thankfully, the show gets much better starting with episode three.

Captivated will land on Netflix on 21 December.

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2025-12-10 19:19